Elimination Of Silver-Based Soundtracks Moves Closer

Wider Commitment To High-Magenta Tracks Paves Way For Initiating Conversion To Dye Tracks In 2001

17-May-00

The elimination of the costly silver-applicated soundtrack process, long a goal of the film industry, is getting closer, according to DolbyÆ Laboratories and Eastman Kodak Company.The companies report that an increasing number of release prints with high-magenta analog soundtracks are being issued, with 20th Century Fox now joining Warner Bros. and Artisan Entertainment in issuing all releases with high-magenta tracks. Testing is also underway by Paramount, New Line, and Universal, who recently released ""Erin Brockovich"" with 100 percent high-magenta prints.The use of high-magenta soundtracks, which are silver-based but use different dye layers, is a vital intermediate step toward the use of an economically and environmentally advantageous pure dye track. Fully compatible with conventional exciter-lamp soundheads, high-magenta tracks sound even better with red LED readers, thereby encouraging the installation of more of the new readers, which are necessary to read pure cyan dye tracks. Currently, there are over 55,000 projectors with red LED readers in use worldwide, including 20,000 in North America, bringing closer the day when the release of prints with cyan dye tracks will be practical.According to the ad hoc film industry committee that is working to encourage the conversion to dye tracks, that day could come as soon as next year. At a meeting in early March, reports Dolby Vice President and committee member Ioan Allen, the committee believed the industry could ""start the transition to dye tracks in January 2001, with a limited distribution release of cyan dye track prints to confirm technical principles. This will lead to the target of full-scale releases as soon as possible."" ""The day we eliminate the outdated silver-applicated soundtrack altogether will be a milestone in the history of cinema sound, and that day is now in sight,"" Allen said. Added Dr. Alan Masson, Director of Engineering for Eastman Kodak Company in Hollywood, ""The benefits of cyan dye tracks will be felt by the laboratories, theatres, and the environment.""Development of the new soundtrack technologies was spearheaded by a collaborative effort of Dolby Laboratories, Kodak, and Technicolor, who were then joined by Deluxe, CFI, Fotokem, stock manufacturers Fuji and Agfa, and Ultra Stereo Labs/USL, Inc. Because digital soundtracks are not redeveloped, they are unaffected by these changes in analog soundtrack processes.For further information on both high-magenta and cyan dye tracks, visit www.kodak.com/go/motion.About Dolby Dolby Laboratories is the developer of signal processing systems used worldwide in applications that include motion-picture sound, consumer entertainment products and media, broadcasting, and music recording. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the privately held company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Tokyo.About Kodak Kodak is the world's leading supplier of motion-picture film to the entertainment industry and has earned eight Academy AwardsÆ (among numerous other international honors) for its scientific and technical contributions to the industry.

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